Philanthropist Parviz Nazarian Dies at 88

Parviz Nazarian and his wife, Pouran. Credit: American Friends of CECI

The well-known Persian philanthropist was a big supporter of Sinai Temple in Westwood.

Parviz Nazarian, co-founder of venture capital and real estate fund Omninet Capital of Beverly Hills died on Aug. 23 at the age of 88.

Nazarian was also a former board member of Qualcomm.

ADVERTISEMENT

Regarded as one of the most well-known and beloved members of the local Persian-Jewish community, his cousin, Soraya M. Nazarian, told the Los Angeles Business Journal, “He was very very kind – and a great great man, but always humble; he never bragged about anything, and was very respectful of everyone. He loved to help people any way he could.”

The Journal noted, Izak Parviz Nazarian was born on Feb. 24, 1929 in Tehran. His father died when he was five and he later moved to Israel where he fought during the War of Independence in 1948 and served as a chauffeur for then-Foreign Minister Golda Meir, before returning to Iran and launching his construction business. Nazarian fled to the United States following the 1970 Iranian revolution.

As a philanthropist, Nazarian supported Sinai Temple in Westwood and the Nessah Educational and Cultural Center, a Beverly Hills synagogue serving Persian-Americans. He was a major supporter of Israel founded the Citizens’ Empowerment Center in Israel, a nonprofit dedicated to electoral reform.